Numerous medical examinations or procedures involve body parts with concealed anatomy, such as the ear, nose, throat or eye. These medical examinations or procedures generally involve the use of a specialized medical tool, for example, such as in an otoscope used to conduct an ear examination.
At most medical schools, training in medical examinations or procedures relating to body parts with concealed anatomy involves visual identification of possible defects or medical conditions. The training is generally conducted through the use of basic tools, such as slide presentations including photos of the physical defects or medical conditions. Some estimate that only around five percent of medical students feel comfortable about their skills to use specialized medical tools, for example, such as with their otology skills, at the end of their residency.
Prior art medical training systems are known. For example, the “NASCOLIFEFORM”, and United States Publication No. 2008/0050710 both include a model of a head or portion of a head, which contains an area that can receive one of a plurality of inserts that simulate an ear and also the ear canal. Such inserts are formed so that the inside of the model of the ear canal shows a physical defect or medical condition. The inserts are generally made of a flexible material such that trainees may pull on the ear portion thus also displacing the ear canal as is required in otoscopy examinations.
As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,526, issued to Auran et al., discloses a device for training physicians in tympanocentesis. The device includes an outer member resembling a side profile of a child's head and shoulder area. The outer member is attached to a surface portion to define a receiving area for receiving a slidable inner member or insert. A replica of at least an eardrum and an ear canal of a child's inner ear are associated with the sliding inner member. A training portion of the inner member supports a simulated inner ear, positions the simulated inner ear to a desired position adjacent the outer ear of the outer member, and acts as a holder for the training cartridges used with the training device. The cartridges or inserts simulate the “look and feel” of popping through the tympanic membrane. The cartridges include one or more training areas. The disclosed prior art invention trains the user in proper location and depth. Once all of the training areas of the cartridge have been used, it is replaced with a new cartridge.
There are several drawbacks to the prior art training systems. For example, the trainer cannot see the image of the physical defect or medical condition at the same time as it is shown to the trainee. Another drawback is that manual changing of the ear inserts is required for the prior art system. Yet another drawback is that, because of cost, the number of inserts is often limited in the prior art system. The limited number of inserts can reduce the number of images of physical defects or medical conditions to which the trainees are exposed through use of the training system.